it comes out of the debt ceiling deal in 2011 and it was the backup to the supercommittee. and way it was designed, it was originally supposed to be half taxes and half spending cuts. so both sides would be terrified of letting it happen, and because they were so terrified of letting it happen, they would come to a deal. the point of the sequester was to get the two sides to a deal. but republicans wouldn't allow tax increases, even in the sequester. and so they made this weird deal with democrats. and they said, okay, the sequester has to be all spending cuts. but because we're not giving you any taxes, they can mostly be spending cuts you don't mind and that we really hate. so half of the sequester, a full half of it is defense. that is a huge, huge cut to defense. but it's actually worse than that for republicans. medicaid is completely protected from the sequester. social security, completely protected. most low-income programs, completely protected. medicaid beneficiaries, completely protected. veterans benefits, completely protected. pell grants, completely protected.